Neck construction of stringed musical instruments



Feb. 28, 1939. E. A. STATHOPOULO NECK CONSTRUCTION OF STRINGED MUSICALINSTRUMENTS Filed Aug. 2, 1937 \NVENTOR 6} 1% Siailm aula ATTORNEYPatented Feb. 28, 1939 PATENT OFFICE NECK CONSTRUCTION OF STRINGEDMUSICAL INSTRUMENTS -E pi A. Stathopoulo, New York, N. Y., assignor toEpiphone, Inc., New York, N. Y., a corporation .of New York ApplicationAugust 2, 1937, Serial No. 156,929

4 Claims.

The present invention relates to stringed muslcal instruments such asguitars, banjos, violins and the like, and more particularly to the neckconstruction of such instruments.

The principal object of the present invention'is to provide an improvedneck construction of stringed musical instruments which will eifectivelyresist the severe strain to which it is subjected by the strings, andthus avoid the liability of the neck, which is generally constructed ofwood, to

bend and twist out of its proper shape and alignment due to such strain.Another object of the present invention is to provide such improved neckconstruction, which will also resist the tendl5 ency of the neck to warpas a result of changing climatic and atmospheric conditions. A furtherobject of the invention is to provide means for the purposes aforesaidwhich is simple in structure, inexpensive to manufacture and efficientin use. Other objects and advantages of the present invention will inpart bepointed out hereinafter and will in part be obvious to thoseskilled in the art to which the present invention relates. With theabove and other objects in view, the

present invention consists of the novel features of construction,combination of elements, and arrangement-of parts hereinafter describedand illustrated in the accompanying drawing, wherein there is shown thepreferred embodiment of my invention.

In the accompanying drawing which forms an integral part of thisspecification,

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of a neck portion of a guitar, the fingerboardbeing partly broken away to show the underlying construction which is inaccordance with the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of the neck portion of saidguitar; and

Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken on the line 0f 1.

Referring now to the drawing wherein like reference characters indicatecorresponding parts throughout the several views, I 0 represents thebody of the instrument and I I represents the neck thereof whichisconnected to the body in the conventional manner. The neck ll terminatesat its outer end in a head portion I2 which carries the pegs [3 fortensioning of the strings 14.

In my improved neck construction the neck ll is provided withalongitudinal channel I5 formed along the fingerboard side thereof,which channel extends substantially parallel to and near the fingerboardside of the neck and is arranged centrally of the neck and extends froma point near the outer end of the neck, preferably slightly removed fromthe head portion, [2, to the opposite or inner end of the neck. At theouter end of the channel ii there is provided a transverse recess l6which is adapted to receive therein an apertured bearing block l1 and asimilar transverse recess I8 is provided intermediate the ends of thechannel l5, preferably near the inner end thereof, which recess isadapted to receive therein another bearing block l9 which has a threadedaperture therein. The channel I5 is designed to re- '10 ceive therein arigid metal rod 20 which is threaded through the threaded aperture inthe block l9 and is provided at one end with a reduced portion 2| whichis journaled in the block I! and at the other end with a wrench-facedportion 22 which l:

is adapted to be engaged by a suitable key for rotating the rod 20. Atthe lower end of the channel is a recess 23 to permit access of the keyto the rod.

The channel l5 and the transverse recesses I6 ,90 and 18 are preferablyof suchdepth that the rod 20 and the blocks l1 and I!) which arearranged therein lie substantially flush with the fingerboard side ofthe neck. The channel and said recesses may however be further depressedif desired, and in that event a suitable filler-piece may 'be set overthe rod and blocks but it is essential to the proper operation of thedevice that the rod ZO-besubstantially parallel to the fingerboard sideof the neck and that the blocks I! and I9 and rod :30 20 be disposednear said fingerboard side. Covering the upper side of the neck is thefingerboard 24.

The metal rod 20 and the blocks l1 and I8 serve to resist bending andtwisting of the neck from its normal position and to counteract thestrains to which the neck is subjected by the strings. Should the neckhave a tendency to bow due to the constant strain of the strings, thecondition may be conveniently corrected by applying the 1 key to the endportion 22 of therod 20 and rotating the rod. In so doing the blockswill be forced apart and the rod 20 will exert a tensioning orstretching force along the fingerboard side of the neck which force willrestore the neck to its de sired straight condition. The blocks l1 andI9 being transversely disposed relative to the neck and imbedded thereinwill also tend to resist .twisting and warning of the neck which mayresult from either strain or climatic and atmospheric conditions.

From the above it will be apparent that my improved neck construction ofstringed musical instruments as described and illustrated is simple instructure and effective for the purposes afore- 55 mentioned. It ishowever to be understood that I do not desire to limit myself to thespecific embodiment of my invention hereinabove described andillustrated in the accompanying drawing, for I am aware that variationmay be made in the details of construction which will nevertheless fallwithin the scope of my invention as defined in the appended claims.

Having thus illustrated and described my invention, what I claim as newand desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a stringed musical instrument, an elongated neck having afingerboard side; a first bearing block secured to said side near oneend thereof and held against outward axial movement with respect to saidneck, said block being disposed near said fingerboard side; a secondbearing block secured to said side near the opposite end thereof andheld against outward axial movement with respect to said neck, saidblock being disposed near said fingerboard side and having a threadedaperture therein; a rigid rod of a length greater than the distancebetween the first and second bearing blocks, disposed near andsubstantially parallel to the fingerboard side of said neck, one end ofsaid rod being journaled for rotation in the first bearing block andheld against axial movement with respect to said block, and the oppositeend of said rod being threaded for a substantial portion of its lengthand threadedly engaging the threaded aperture in the second hearingblock; and means for rotating said rod in the event that the outer endof the neck should bow upwardly, rotation of said rod forcing thebearing blocks apart to thus exert an outward axial ten sion along thefingerboard side of the neck, which tension will restore the neck to itsdesired straight condition.

2. In a stringed musical instrument, an elon gated neck having anelongated axially extending channel along the fingerboard side thereof;a first bearing block secured in said neck near one end of said channeland held againstcoutward axial movement with respect to said channel,said block being disposed near said fingerboard side; a second bearingblock secured in said neck near the opposite end of said channel andheld against outward axial movement with respect to said channel, saidblock being disposed near said fingerboard side and having a threadedaperture therein; a rigid rod of a length greater than the distancebetween the first and second bearing blocks, disposed within saidchannel and positioned near and substantially parallel to thefingerboard side of said neck, one end of said rod being journaled forrotation in the first bearing block and held against axial movement withrespect to said block, and the opposite end of said rod being threadedfor a substantial portion of its length and threadedly engaging thethreaded aperture in the second bearing block; and means for rotatingsaid rod within said channel in the event that the outer end of the neckshould bow upwardly, rotation of said rod forcing the bearingblocksapart to thus exert an axial outward tension along the fingerboardside of the neck, which tension will restore the neck to its desiredstraight condition.

3. In a stringed musical instrument, an elongated neck having anelongated axially extending channel along the fingerboard side thereof,said channel being closed at one end and open at its opposite end, saidneck having a recess near the open end of the channel extendingtransversely across and communicating with said channel; a

first bearing block having its outer face disposed against the walldefining the closed end of said channel, said block being disposed nearsaid fingerboard side; a second bearing block rigidly retained withinsaid recess and having its outer face disposed against the wall definingthe outer end of said recess, said block being disposed near saidfingerboard side and having a threaded aperture in alignment with saidchannel; a rigid rod of a length greater than the distance between thefirst and second bearing blocks, disposed within said channel andpositioned near and substantially parallel to the fingerboard side ofsaid neck, one end of said rod being journaled for rotation in the firstbearing block and held against axial movement with respect to saidblock, and the opposite end of said rod being threaded for a substantialportion of its length and threadedly engaging the threaded aperture inthe second bearing block; and means for rotating said rod within 7 saidchannel in the event that the outer end of the neck should bow upwardly,rotation of said rod forcing the bearing blocks apart to thus exert anoutward axial tension along the fingerboard side of the neck, whichtension will restore the neck to its desired straight condition.

4. In a stringed musical instrument an elongated neck having anelongated axially extending channel formed along the fingerboard sidethereof, said neck having a first recess near one end thereof extendingtransversely across and communicating with said channeLand having asecond recess near the opposite end thereof extending transverselyacross and communicating with said channel; a first bearing blockrigidly retained within the first recess and held therein againstoutward axial movement with respect to the length of said neck byengagement with the wall defining the outer end of said recess, saidblock being disposed near the fingerboard side of the neck and having anaperture in alignment with said channel; a second bearing block rigidlyretained within the second recess and held therein against outward axialmovement with respect to the length of said neck by engagement with thewall defining the outer end of said recess, said block being disposednear the fingerboard side of I the neck and having a threaded aperturein alignment with said channel; a rigid rod of a length greater than thedistance between the first and second bearing blocks, disposed withinsaid channel and positioned near andsubstantially parallel to thefingerboard side of said neck, one end of said rod having a reducedportion journaled for rotation in the aperture in the first bearingblock and held against outward axial movement with respect to saidblock, and the opposite end of said rod being threaded for a substantialportion of its length and threadedly engaging the threaded aperture inthe second bearing block; and means for rotating said rod within saidchannel in the event that the outer end of said neck should bowupwardly, rotation of said rod forcing the bearing blocks apart to thusexert an outward axial tension along the fingerboard side of the neck,which tension will restore the neck to its desired straight condition.

EPI A. STATI-IOPOULO.

